This invention relates generally to devices for retrieving, retaining and dispensing deformable balls, such as tennis balls, thus minimizing the manual effort required to gather up loose balls.
During the practice of sporting activities such as tennis, players sometimes hit a large number of balls which then lie about on the tennis court or other playing surface. Players must then retrieve the balls and place them in a suitable container for storage until use is again desired. It is therefore desireable to provide an apparatus for retrieving and dispensing tennis balls, allowing the user to enjoy more practice time compared to the time spent in retrieving the balls. It is also desireable to eliminate the necessity to bend over and pick up the balls.
Accordingly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,957,297 and 4,045,068 to Hanks and Nelson, respectively, are directed to such apparatus. But each of those patents disclose devices having sharp edges in and around the retrieval opening. Those devices are also relatively complicated and expensive to manufacture. And, neither of these devices disclose any telescoping or extended arm capability.